:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/33762411/494883791.0.jpg)
The major news would be if somebody who wears a Juventus jersey nine months out of the year wasn't going to be on a flight to Brazil in a matter of days to take part in the World Cup. But since that's happening and all six Juventus players are associated with the Italian national team are headed to Brazil, we have no reason to freak out right?
Right.
Gianluigi Buffon will be the Azzurri's captain. Giorgio Chiellini will be there. Same with Andrea Barzagli and Leonardo Bonucci. Andrea Pirlo will show everybody in Brazil what a proper and distinguished beard looks like on top of dropping dimes to his teammates. And then there's Claudio Marchisio, who looks set to start alongside Pirlo in the center of Italy's midfield.
Six players, six roster spots that were basically secured the moment they were called up to the initial 30-man squad by manager Cesare Prandelli. If only everything in life was this easy to figure out.
Some of the other roster selections weren't as easy to figure out as the Juventus group of six. Here is the Italian national team's roster making its way to Brazil:
Portieri: Buffon (Juventus), Perin (Genoa), Sirigu (Paris St. Germain);
Difensori: Abate (Milan), Barzagli (Juventus), Bonucci (Juventus), Chiellini (Juventus), Darmian (Torino), De Sciglio (Milan), Paletta (Parma);
Centrocampisti: Aquilani (Fiorentina), Candreva (Lazio), De Rossi (Roma), Marchisio (Juventus), Thiago Motta (Paris St. Germain), Parolo (Parma), Pirlo (Juventus), Verratti (Paris St. Germain);
Attaccanti: Balotelli (Milan), Cassano (Parma), Cerci (Torino), Immobile (Torino), Insigne (Napoli).
There's the final 23 to make Cesare Prandelli's cut.
I gotta say, if last night against Ireland was the actual final chance to show Prandelli what the players are made of, then not picking Giuseppe Rossi is pretty surprising. Not taking Rossi is the clearest of indications that Prandelli doesn't feel like the Fiorentina striker is fully capable of playing at a high level after his latest injury setback.
But since this is a Juventus blog, we shall concentrate on Juventus things. So, in that case, there's no being surprised about which of our players heading to Brazil. At least those six decisions were basically shoe-ins.
